In politics, and in Cope in particular, sometimes it is necessary to “cut through the spin” of that spun by those claiming to cut through the spin. Especially when their cutting lacks surgical precision and leaves much to be desired.
I was rather amused by the virtually instantaneous return of two of Cope’s most notorious former spokespersons following the illegitimate ousting of Terror Lekota. This after the widely publicised post-election casualties of Ngwema and Tabane who resigned over “politics of the stomach“. Lekota and Cope head of communications Phillip Dexter were barely pushed out of the party when Tabane and Ngwema reappeared as self-appointed spokespersons for the Shilowa Express.
Even more amusing is Tabane’s audacity to claim that things need to get worse in Cope before they can get better, especially when those he chose to align with are constantly fuelling the fire. It is only natural to wonder how much worse he wants it to get within the already embattled and deeply divided party, especially since he claims to have its best interests at heart.
Perhaps Tabane is of the opinion that for true democracy to emerge an organisation must have the experiences of so many post-colonial countries. Ghana comes to mind as an example of a state that had to endure a tumultuous history of dictatorship before true democracy eventually established itself. In other words, it seems that Tabane suggests we should be content with feeding the organisation to the dogs first and then attempt to pick up the pieces, most likely too little, too late.
Maybe the former spokesperson is just disgruntled over the fact that he will soon be out of a job, with very little in the stomach, as the resignation letter of his (former) boss is gathering dust in Charlotte Lobe’s handbag. I doubt Lekota, who is most likely to fill Dandala’s seat, would require Tabane’s services.
Tabane’s recent tirade laying into the perceived lack of leadership of the Cope president conveniently ignores (or is it spins?) a number of facts. Especially the “issue” of Lekota’s single visit to the caucus in the last 18 months, when it was expressly made clear by Dandala that the party advocates a clear separation between the leader in Parliament and the leader of the party, apparently to ensure a clear separation between party and state should Cope eventually take over government. Additionally, I can’t imagine his absence from Parliament should be much of an issue, considering his perfectly competent deputy is chief whip.
Allegations of Terror’s inability to launch branches in the last 18 months are also severely misrepresented and badly spun. Anyone vaguely familiar with the structures of political parties would be aware of the mechanisms involved in launching a branch, and it definitely does not require the constant direction and visible hand of the party president.
If anyone is truly to blame for the dismal state of the branches, the blame is to be squarely laid on the administrators, elected and non-elected, at the provincial, regional and even national level. Rather spurious considering these provincial leaders have all supposedly brought in Shilowa’s nominations, and particularly an indictment against Lobe — a vocal and well-known Express passenger — who is tasked with overall administration of the party’s affairs outside Parliament.
Lobe’s incompetence, and the deployment of Express passengers to Cope House, have persistently undermined and sabotaged the president and deputy secretary general, Deidre Carter, only retrospectively explained in terms of Lobe’s true loyalties in a particular faction. Lobe’s attempt to have herself installed as deputy president would only serve to cover up her incompetence in issuing membership cards and organising meetings, conferences and the much-publicised aborted elective conference.
The credibility of the Express — and Tabane for that matter — is tarnished by its association with loud-mouth Anele Mda, who has been the organisation’s greatest walking PR disaster and conductor of the Express. It is also convenient that Tabane criticises Lekota for his supposed desire to cling to his salary from Cope House when Mdalema has repeatedly proclaimed, nay, trumpeted her lavish lifestyle and jet-setting all over the country on her personal Facebook account, after hypocritically, of course, taking Malema to task over his own lifestyle on ANC money, and not taxpayers’, unlike the Honourable Member.
After blowing so much hot air, the Shilobemda Express eventually, it would seem, ran out of steam, derailed and came to a crashing halt. Kicking a man when he’s down proved to be their biggest miscalculation, having woken a Terror-fying Sleeping Dragon.
Instead of deifying an individual, a grass-roots revolt has occurred within the party and members have rallied in support of the party president and other leadership figures as the embodiment of the values, mission and objective touted by the party at its founding in Bloemfontein. The absence of a third candidate has starkly contrasted the Express against those who have chosen to distance themselves from it. Perhaps the most impressive of these is the around-the-clock efforts of a core group of individuals from across all nine provinces — the self-styled Terror’s Task Team (TTT) — who have taken it upon themselves to ensure maximum exposure of the principled approach to politics originally envisioned by the party.
I was most impressed, however, by the competence, efficiency, skills, diversity, qualifications, experience, passion and dedication of the so-called TTT.
Among its arguments for Terror — instead of the perpetual “against” this or that one (which reminds me, I am yet to see an endorsement of Shilowa mentioning his personal contribution and potential) — is his experience in the UDF and Black Consciousness Movement; his ideological, theoretical and policy knowledge (aided by the association and backing of Ngonyama and Dexter); his broad-based cross-racial and cross-class line appeal demonstrated in his ability to rally white — and particular Afrikaner — leaders and supporters (notably Koornhof, Killian and Carter at the national level); his willingness to visit rural and impoverished areas (something Shilowa is yet to do); and his media profile, which is higher than that of Shilowa, initially demonstrated during the election campaign when Shilowa failed to make a significant dent in mainstream media mentions, versus that of Lekota and Dandala.
Cementing the “rise of Terror Lekota” is the successful rally held in Port Elizabeth this past weekend, a supposed Shilowa stronghold, in which approximately 1 000 people packed a community hall to listen to Ngonyama, Lekota and Balindlela, and to indicate their support for the party and its president. Terror’s schedule includes another imbizo to be held in Soweto this weekend, another test of the hold Shilowa is believed to have on Gauteng.
Perhaps for all his skill in spinning and handling the media, Tabane missed out on a few classes in political education. For all his lamentation of the politics of the stomach, it is clear that he, least of all people, does not want to miss out of the Shilowa Gravy Train.
I thought as much, COPE must carefully look at one of their spin-doctors who was instrumental in breaking up with the ANC and later managed to establish so much branches – in the Eastern Cape alone with little impact in other provinces. You much Mr. George the mess within the ANC is his making and still his legacy. Cope will never survive with this old man intheir ranks
The day Tebane and Mda are booted out is the day I’ll consider returning to the party.
And perhaps we should also ask the question: Whose project is Shilowa? The desparation with which the Policy Conference was commandeered makes this question most urgent. Why would ‘good’ men and women ‘suddenly’ act in a manner that proves the old adage “there is no honour amongst thieves”?
I would soon have the tea party movement, than believe COPE to be a serious political party. I sometimes wonder whether if ever South Africans will leave the T-shirt and singinging politics. So long as you can offer bored South Africans T-shirts and a venue to sing you will have a hall filled.
Seriously what does COPE represent except its claim to being the real embodiment of the Freedom Charter? The name COPE was a joke and a mistake if I must add. It only said faction. It does not offer anything different in terms of popular culture, ideology or national psyche. Mvume Dandala stood a better chance of leading a revival of a black led multi-racial conservative movement than the current circus to which he appended his name.
There are many issues to form a political party around in South Africa but disgruntlement with losing one’s position in the ANC as the sole reason is not one of them. I am quite surprised at those who were not ANC who joined a COPE led by Shilowa and Lekota (yes the same men who have arrogated to themselves the leadership or I dare say saviour mantle). What were they thinking? Come to think of it JJ Tabane would have been a better choice.
Your clear thought process and academic background suggests you should not be a member of COPE. Your piece is a very good and sober analysis of COPE. COPE cannot be salvaged because its very foundations are shaky. I am not saying they should go back to the ANC but they can’t continue as they are. Driven by anger bitterness and power mongerism.
Scenario one – 1 Captain : Many United Rowers amounts to success of the voyage and speedy arrival to the destiny. Scenario two – 2 Captains : Many Divided Rowers amounts to confusion and inability to start the voyage. Scenario 2 better discibes the way COPE was formed, and the way its continuing to conduct its affairs. The continued media comments and counters, divided along two wannabe Captains, its an indication that COPE’s voyage into the real political world is not yet to begin and more sailors are getting disgrantled and taken over by other moving ships (political parties). Mr. Redelinghuys comment feeds the notion that COPE will never be united as a political party, making it difficult for some of us to understand why in the first place call it a party. If ever there are those who think the voyage has started, then I would say this poor party is now like a Sinking Ship, whith its occupants afraid to jump out into the rough seas, each of them wanting to be identified as the true Sailor divided along two uncompromising Captains, with all of them rest assured that they going to die either way.
“The Writer does any formal education and he is currently unemployed, open and willing to accept any job”
The problem with the passengers of the Shilowa express is that they they are waging a battle against memory and consciousness.They are quite conscious of the fact that ultimmately when the COPE population finally comes to grips with what it is that is being done in their name they wont permit it.
The genufluction of the TABANEs at the altar of the shilowa express must be severely criticised and exposed.
Their criticisms of the President are delusionary and deceitfull mannoeuvres of opportunist who are hellbent on destroying a party that that has imbued hope in the body politic of our country in ways that could never have been imagined before.
Their vulgarised conception of the notion of the separation of party and state is at the centre of the confusion of whether the President is in fact allowed to attend Parliamentary caucuses or not.Cope at the moment is an opposition party in parliament, is an indivisible whole,it does exercise any state power,this questtion will therefore have to be resolved in the view of both principle and of practice but in the process we should not confuse our vision with reality.
WILL THE FIRST PASSENGER OF THE EXPRESS HAVE RESIGNED AS MP AND RELOCATE TO COPE HOUSE.
This reminds me of the Sankomota song “House on Fire”
COPE, under the administration of Lobe, is a disgrace! She has ensured and gone out of her way to portray COPE has a hypocritical, self-righteous self-serving organisation that preaches transparency, accountability and modern progressivism but lacks even a semblence of it in its own conduct and affairs!
Charlotte has gone out of her way to frustrate every single attempt at calling a CNC meeting to chart the way forward, now leaking an email claiming the party is bankrupt and refusing to turn on her phone or take any calls.
Sad stuff. It’s difficult to take Tabane very seriously. But what does COPE actually stand for?
Keep up the good work Marius. We need guys like you who will inform the masses so this newly born COPE can survives it’s few years and get to be a real contender in the next elections.
But tell me, why are you a COPE member. The premise on which it was formed was just wrong. This kind of politiking is what makes it a joke. Zuma and co were right is saying they will rule untill Jesus comes.
I agree with you Marius 100%. It seems that ANC tendencies are starting to crop up amongst those who left the ANC in search for something for the stomach.
Just pack, close shop and go home lads…it gets colder by the week outhere!
The piece requires generous amounts of honesty. The author is himself a part of the problem here.
Shilowa’s sin is that he seeks/sought to open the doors of political debate and access for ordinary, normally poorer and yes former-ANC-members-of-COPE. What the author and his chomies want is for COPE to be a kind of a black DA. Where those who are regarded as being not so knowledgeable and educated must just shut up and let the likes of the author decide how the affairs of COPE should be run.
yet COPE grew somewhat because people on the ground decided to dedicate their time and space to make COPE work. It was not the academics or the spin doctors like Marius who helped COPE obtain the mere 7% of the total vote. It was ordinary members of COPE( Incidentally they would have been members of the ANC previously) who risked attacks and insults from their former comrades. These people made a difference.
Marius you will not be allowed to run riot over the wishes of lowly members of COPE! You and your friends are not the sole custodians of democratic principles and discipline. The man you seek to directly or indirectly malign is known for his great work in COSATU and Gauteng. His track record speaks for him. He does not need a lot of PR! This ex security guard will do 10 times what you handlers are able to in a 100 years.
and as a shock to the system, now i am sure an overwhelming whipping for COPE at the polls is eminent next year. I have never read such an out of touch piece in my life: “Terror” Marius writes “…his experience in the UDF and Black Consciousness Movement; his ideological, theoretical and policy knowledge (aided by the association and backing of Ngonyama and Dexter); his broad-based cross-racial and cross-class line appeal demonstrated in his ability to rally white — and particular Afrikaner — leaders and supporters (notably Koornhof, Killian and Carter at the national level)”
One Smuts famously said he did not join politics to be poor. Another Terror said he wants to scrap employment equity, while the other is so arrogant that he regularly swears at political adversaries!
Is this the team that will deliver votes to COPE? read the work of prof Friedman and or Somadoda Fikeni and or Adam Habib.The “ability to rally white — and particular Afrikaner ” is not really top of the list to the majority of south african people. Those days are gone. But i could be wrong, local elections next year will be a telling point.
Floyd, check your facts, again. I was a member of the ANC and was spat on by my former Cdes. I actively campaigned for COPE in Tshwane, took to the streets, handed out pamphlets, even held a public meeting myself in Madibeng and addressed the local community.
Please, your insults and clearly mindless, illogical and unsubtantiate hogwash has no effect.
I’m sure “Cde” Floyd Tshegare’s behaviour speaks for itself:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/7/22/1287129//Facebook%20_%20Sandile%20Alba%20Cedusizi%20Mahlangu%20wat%20the%20hel%20hapened%20in%20soweto%202day.pdf
I am one of the 1.3m people who voted for Cope. what Marius is doing is trying to polarise the two groups further. let us not allow him to succeed. I voted for Cope, not Lekota or Sam.
Marius i just attacked your assertion that “his (Terror)experience in the UDF and Black Consciousness Movement; his ideological, theoretical and policy knowledge (aided by the association and backing of Ngonyama and Dexter); his broad-based cross-racial and cross-class line appeal demonstrated in his ability to rally white — and particular Afrikaner — leaders and supporters (notably Koornhof, Killian and Carter at the national level)”
I still say you are writing nonsense! These three individuals are the most discredited politicians in South Africa. When you have time, please climb down down from that high horse and read the following link: http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71619?oid=184072&sn=Detail. See what other people have to say about your handlers.
If you can’t take criticism. Don’t blog. Its as simple as that.
Spot on, Cope is no longer.